In the end
by SushiXThief
Summary: [ItaNaru][songfic] Disappearing voluntarily, walking away and coming back, Konoha is back into his life... Although not willingly... Chapter six: From yesterday [God knows rating may get higher]
1. In the end

_**Ah, hey people. This is my first songfic... hope it turned out okay... And I know I should be updating the other stories xD, don't worry people, I will soon update them... just been a little busy and this has been in my head for quite some time xD. So anywys Enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto and 'In the End' belongs to Linkin Park -grins-**_

_**Title: In the end  
**_

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_**It starts with one thing  
I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try**_  
**_Keep that in mind  
I designed this rhyme  
To explain in due time _**

Naruto looked around him. Kakashi was facing Kisame and Sakura and Sasuke were knocked out. His hands clenched into fists as he turned to look at Itachi, Mangekyou Sharingan activated.

Itachi… his face void of emotions. He had attacked Sakura and Sasuke first and left him alive and conscious. Why did he just leave him? A demon? Oh yeah… he needed him for Kyuubi.

**_All I know  
Time is a valuable thing  
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings  
Watch it count down to the end of the day  
The clock ticks life away _**

With a yell, blind in fury, he attacked Itachi, his red chakara flaring as he tried to attack him. Everything seemed surreal as Itachi blocked his punches, kicks and attacks, not bothering to attack back.

_Don't waste your life away in that pathetic village you call home. And stop hiding in that pathetic mask of yours._

**_It's so unreal  
Didn't look out below  
Watch the time go right out the window  
Trying to hold on, but didn't even know _**

Naruto froze in mid-punch, staring at Itachi with wide eyes… only realising that his Sharingan was de-activated. He had heard it… what Itachi had said. Although it was low, he heard it.

Angry tears as he tried harder, this time, to knock him out. "You don't know anything!" he yelled. How did he, Itachi, an S-class missing nin, know he had a mask? He had tried so hard to hide it, that not even his closest friends didn't see it… So how…?

**_Wasted it all just to watch you go  
I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart  
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when …_**

Itachi caught a punch holding it there and brought him close just as Sasuke was regaining consciousness. Tears streamed down Naruto's face. He was shaking his head, trying to get out of Itachi's grip. Both Kakashi and Kisame stopped fighting in shock.

"How? Why?" He yelled trying so hard to get out of his grip.

**_I tried so hard and got so far  
But in the end it doesn't even matter  
I had to fall to lose it all   
But in the end it doesn't even matter_**

"Come with me," Itachi said with no emotion whatsoever lacing his words, "Don't stay with a village that hates you because of the demon within you. Don't stay with the village where even best friends betray each other."

Naruto tried to get out of his firm grip, not knowing that Sasuke was awake, although he was too weak to move at the moment. And it was true… Sasuke tried killing him for power to get to Orochimaru, but… "But that was your fault!" Naruto yelled, wondering why in hell's name Itachi wasn't killing him.

**_One thing, I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try, keep that in mind  
I designed this rhyme, to remind myself how _**

"I didn't tell him to go and follow Orochimaru. I was only hoping he'd gain more power by himself," Itachi said, tightening his grip on the younger boy, "Did he even say thank you or a sorry when you saved him? The village despises you even more, thinking you tried to kill him."

"Naruto!" Kakashi said making Naruto look at him, but he was cut off suddenly when Kisame attacked him. Kakashi held his injured arm, glaring at the shark-like man.

_**I tried so hard  
In spite of the way you were mocking me  
Acting like I was part of your property  
Remembering all the times you fought with me  
I'm surprised it got so (far) **_

Naruto looked at Itachi, tears streaming down his face. It was true. It was all true. Not one person believed that he didn't try to kill him, thinking that it was his fault, the demon, of why Sasuke came back nearly half dead. And after they all learned of Kyuubi, they ditched him, Sakura ignored him and Sasuke was still Kakashi's prized student.

The way it used to be… gone.

**_Things aren't the way they were before  
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore  
Not that you knew me back then  
But it all comes back to me (in the end) _**

Naruto stopped struggling and Itachi's grip loosened. "Why?" He asked softly, "Why aren't killing me or why aren't you knocking me out to bring me to the Akatsuki? Why make my life worse?" _Why make me look at reality…?_

**_You kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart   
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I_**

"Face it Naruto," Itachi said, ebony eyes looking at azure ones, "There's no way you'll become Hokage. Not with people hating you and there's no way you'll become Hokage."

Naruto was silent; hands free to move were limp by his side as he listened. He tried to move but he couldn't. His body wouldn't obey his orders. "You continually keep a mask up, showing people that the glares and taunts aren't hurting you," Itachi said, "But they are, aren't they? No one has seen your true face…"

**_I tried so hard and got so far  
But in the end it doesn't even matter  
I had to fall to lose it all   
But in the end it doesn't even matter  
_**  
"What happened when they figured out Kyuubi was in you?" Itachi asked. Naruto stared at the ground. Not answering and Sasuke gasped.

He hadn't known. He was in the hospital when the others found out. Sasuke had always wondered why Naruto always avoided them. But finally getting a mission and not expecting Akatsuki, did Sasuke finally got to see him, but he just smiled and acted stupid… like always…

**_I've put my trust in you  
Pushed as far as I can go_**  
_**And for all this**_  
**_There's only one thing you should know_**

Naruto's lip trembled, but he still answered. "Th-they… They called me a demon and a monster and told me to stay away from them… That… that they would never serve a demon like me if I were to become Hokage…" Naruto said with clenched fists. Kakashi looked at him briefly, trying to get a word in, but Kisame wouldn't let him.

Dodging Kisame's sword, Kakashi yelled out to Naruto, holding his injured arm. "Naruto! Don't you listen to him!"

**_I've put my trust in you  
Pushed as far as I can go  
And for all this  
there's only one thing you should know_**

Sasuke's eyes widened in horror as Itachi held out his hand. "Come with me Naruto." He said, "Join the Akatsuki and train. Staying in that village will only make you weak."

Naruto looked at the hand and then at his face. Sasuke shook his head a 'no', but Naruto couldn't see him. "No Naruto," he croaked out, but Naruto couldn't even hear him.

**_I tried so hard and got so far  
But in the end it doesn't even matter  
I had to fall to lose it all   
But in the end it doesn't even matter  
_**

Naruto took the hand. All his work in Konoha was for nothing… In fact, it got worse. Everybody hated him, there was no place for him there… Itachi held him close and Kisame and Itachi looked at each other and nodded. Naruto watched as team 7 went further and further away…

In the end... He really did leave nothing behind, for he lost all and gained more...

_-Owari_

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_**Lol, yeah, yeah. Lolz, I know that sucks... it was my first song fic after all... anyways, please review and tell me how crappy this fic is xDD**_

_** -SxT**_


	2. Runaway

**_Hey hey peoples. With all the reviews and stuff, I have finally decided to make a story out of this. Lolz, but don't expect a quick update nowadays! Because I get lots of homework now that I'm in VCE... -sighs-_**

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**_The votes:_**

_**To make a story or to continue stands at: 15 xD**_

_**Biting me for not updating my other story stands at: 2 xDD**_

_**Biting the person that bit me stands at: 1 xDD **_

_**To make sequels or one shots stands at: 2 n.n  
**_

_**And just don't make it into a story stands at: 0 -grins-**_

_**And the winner of the vote is to make a story lol **_

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**_I wanna run away  
Never say goodbye  
I wanna know the truth  
Instead of wondering why  
I wanna know the answers  
No more lies  
I wanna shut the door  
And open up my mind… _**

Naruto kept his eyes on the distant figures of team seven as Itachi carried him further and further away from the battle area and also further away from Konoha. Naruto buried himself into Itachi as the figures were now gone.

Tears silently fell from his eyes as he hid his face away from the world. Now that he was in his right mind he could remember all the precious people he left behind, but that could not account for all the people that hated him.

Iruka-Sensei, a great teacher and friend. Even knowing Kyuubi was in him, it did not stop the Chuunin from treating Naruto like a son and always emptying his pocket to buy Naruto Ramen.

And there was Tsunade. She was protective of Naruto, like a big sister would, even though he'd sometimes end up receiving his end of the punches by calling her 'Baa-chan. But she was still there for him.

And Jiraiya. He was also a good teacher, teaching him some techniques to help defend himself, even with all the perverted thoughts that went through the Sannin's mind and always peeking through a hole to watch the ladies hot springs.

But that could not account for all the lost friends, glares and words that held the meaning of hatred because of Kyuubi. Compared to the three people that he cared about, it could not account for everyone else's hatred for him.

He closed his eyes tightly as he buried his head into the material of Itachi's cloak, as he took him farther and farther away from the place he used to call home.

**-:-R.A-:- **

It had been three years and Naruto was now eighteen years old. The Akatsuki cloak covering most of his body and the bamboo hat covering his head that only little bits of blonde hair was seen and blue eyes peeked from under the hat. A nodachi-type sword strapped to his back.

Beside him were two figures in the same dilemma, although taller and a bit bigger than him. One stood with a big thick sword wrapped in bandages and one without.

Before the silent figures stood a village bustling with energy of everyday workers, Genins worked their ass off in D-ranked missions, kids being taught at the academy… The son shone over the village almost happily and protectively.

"… Konoha…" he said in a voice barely a whisper. His face, although not seen, was practised with a blank mask.

Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder, slightly comforting him and he looked at the figure beside him, AKA Itachi. Naruto nodded and looked ahead. They were here only to pass through. Their mission resided in the country of Lightning, in other words: the hidden village of cloud.

Only less than a second later, the figures disappeared from the previously vacated spot.

**-:-R.A-:- **

Tsunade looked at the figures that stood before her as she sat behind the Hokage desk. Before her were Kakashi, Sasuke, Neji and Shikamaru. The four of them haven't changed that much over the three year period when Naruto was 'kidnapped'.

Tsunade sighed as her thoughts strayed to her favourite energetic blonde. She wasn't even sure if he was still alive. "Akatsuki are on the move," she said sternly to the four before her after a moment's silence, "Sources tell us that they are after the Hintatori Clan in the Cloud country. Your mission is to protect the clan the best you can. Since the Akatsuki are involved, this mission is ranked an S-class."

Then silence ensued until Neji spoke. "Tsunade-sama," he said, pupil-less eyes staring at her, "Why would the Akatsuki be after a clan? From what I've heard, I thought they were after bijuus."

She nodded. "It is true that they are after all the demon children and no doubt have encountered most of them, but the also do missions that would provide them money and destroy some of the powerful entities of the world, meaning clans." She explained to the four of them.

When silence reigned once again, she mentally sighed. "If there are no more questions, be ready by noon, we cannot afford to lose time. Dismissed."

With that, Kakashi left with a swirl of leaves and wind, Sasuke just walked broodingly out, Neji followed behind Sasuke and Shikamaru was mumbling how everything was so damn troublesome, while following behind both Sasuke and Neji.

Once they were out, Tsunade sighed and buried her head in her arms. It was this very day that Naruto had went missing. She missed him a lot and she also hated everyone for it. She knew that once his so-called _friends _found out… well, they ditched him as if he were a traitor… She hated that, but she could do nothing about it. Sure she was Hokage, but if she punished them, he'd had to punish the rest of the village as well.

She sighed. She still hoped that the Akatsuki hadn't killed him and he was still alive and well…

**-:-R.A-:- **

Three dark figures travelled through the forest, the fastest route to the hidden village of Cloud. They had been travelling for three days and nights from a short break at a certain village. These three figures? Itachi, Kisame and Naruto.

Naruto stopped running, his senses by far sharper than Itachi and Kisame's because of the living demon within him. Itachi and Kisame soon followed his suite. Naruto frowned, listened and smelled the air.

"What's wrong?" Kisame asked Naruto.

Naruto frowned and turned to look at his two companions. "It's the leaf nin." He said seriously, "They must be on their way to the Lightning country if I'm not mistaken."

Itachi just watched Naruto silently. Of all the three years he had trained him under the watchful eye of the Akatsuki, this was the boy's first mission. "How many?" he asked Naruto.

Naruto frowned, relying on his fox senses to count how many people were there, "About four."

"They must have taken the mission to guard the Hintatori clan," Kisame said amusedly, "Although this may prove a problem if they see you when we do kill them."

Naruto smirked and crossed his arms looking at both of them, "Well, I have a plan that may make our job easier, although I'm not sure if you'll approve…"

**-:-R.A-:- **

Kakashi ran and jumped through trees, followed by three other team mates. They were on their way to the hidden village of Cloud in order to protect the Hintatori clan for a while. Why their own shinobi couldn't do that was beyond him.

He frowned as a foreboding feeling came over him and he looked down from the branches, suddenly stopping, making the person directly behind him almost smash right into him, namely Sasuke.

Sasuke frowned when Kakashi suddenly stopped and looked at him questioningly. He just silenced them and looked down.

Not far from where he sat on the tree, there was a teen who looked about 17 on the ground, bleeding and in a bloody mess. Shurikens and cuts protruding off his body and his cheeks had been bandaged, although blood seeped through them. His auburn hair was dirty and had few specs of blood and his clothing were ripped and torn. The only thing that told them that the teen was alive was his laboured breathing.

"Neji," Kakashi whispered, not taking his eyes off the suspicious teen, "Use your Byakugan and tell me if there's anyone around or for traps."

Neji nodded without question and activated the Byakugan and saw a few traps leading to the teen, but nobody around. The teen must have gotten caught in it by accident.

"Just traps," he said to Kakashi, "Although the boy is actually hurt real badly, he must have walked into some of them by accident."

Kakashi nodded. "Shikamaru, what do you think about the boy? Do you think he's another trap?" he asked the smartest of the group.

Shikamaru watched the heaving boy carefully. As a ninja they had to be careful. He studied the boy quickly, knowing that the boy was dieing out there. "It is possible that it could be a trap to lower us there, but there are no people near us at the moment that could possibly attack us. I suggest that we take him with us. He needs medical attention straight away." 

And with that Kakashi got down, avoiding the traps and pulled out the shurikens and kunai out of the teen's body and lifted him up. They weren't far from the village now.

**-:-R.A-:-**

Kisame sighed at the smirking Itachi as they watched Kakashi pick up the unconscious _teen_. "Was it necessary to do that much to him?" Kisame asked as Kakashi tended to some of the wounds.

Itachi shrugged. "He was the one who planned it. I just made sure it made it look more believable," he said as he watched Naruto's unconscious form slowly get lifted.

They followed the figures from a distance. Naruto, a boy with amazing talents, had managed to change his hair colour without it being noticed if checked, but he couldn't change the scars on his cheeks so he bandaged them. He had green lens for his eyes he had bought in the other town for 'just in case'.

Itachi and Kisame had his Akatsuki cloak and hat and he only wore the clothes he wore underneath, which were basically a teal tank top and navy blue pants, practically now torn.

He had come up with a plan that could so-called 'help' with their mission. Itachi didn't approve of it at first, but Naruto had somehow persuaded him when he used the puppy dog eyes trick. He was usually immune to those, but when Naruto used it… it seemed that even the most cold-hearted person could bend down to what he wished.

What was this plan, you ask? No, it wasn't to beat him senseless. Naruto had suggested that they could neat him enough to make it look like he was attacked and put traps all around so it looked like he stumbled into it accidentally. And then the team Konoha sent would pick him up, because they couldn't leave a dying person on the ground like that and they would probably take him with them and bring them into the 'safety' of the manor and they could proceed from the mission from there. Of course, it took a lot of explaining in Naruto's part and when the two were finally convinced… well, let's say they made it look more believable…

**_Paper bags and angry voices  
Under a sky of dust  
Another wave of tension  
Has more than filled me up  
All my talk of taking action  
These words were never true  
Now I find myself in question  
They point the finger at me again  
Guilty by association  
You point the finger at me again _****_– 'Runaway' by Linkin Park_**

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_**Lolz**_ _**hope y'all like it. Lolz, please R&R! I'll try to update as fast as I can and the other story as well... lol, anyways love you all!**_

_**-SxT  
-Oh and yes, -grins- I do like Linkin Park lol  
**_


	3. I'm not okay

**_Hi guys. Lol, here's chapter, er, four? No wait, my bad, three hahahha. Lol, anyways, thanks for people being patient. Lol, I'm a VCE student now so its hard to find time to type. Don't worry guys for the people waiting for Spring in Winter. That will update soon because I'm trying my best to make the chapters longer. I _tried_ to make it longer here. Lol._**

**_Anyways, enough yapping, the song I decided to put on this is 'I'm not okay' by My Chemical Romance.  
_**

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**Chapter three: I'm not okay...  
**

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**_Well if you wanted honesty, that's all you had to say.  
I never want to let you down or have you go, its better off this way.  
For all the dirty looks, the photographs your boyfriend took,  
Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor?_**

**_I'm not okay  
I'm not okay  
I'm not okay_**  
_**You wear me out**_

**::I.N.O::**

Naruto groaned. He felt the rushing wind against his face as he woke up and realised that he was being carried. His vision was still blurry though. Damn it, Itachi did a _little_ too much power in his hits that he actually knocked him _unconscious_. He mentally sighed though. He could never hate Itachi though…

… And he asked for it anyway… telling them both to beat him senseless so that it looked more realistic, although he wished they didn't hit _that_ hard. He would've pouted slightly if he weren't being carried and was in a different situation… but sadly it was not so.

He groaned as Kakashi held him a bit roughly as they hurried to the hidden Village of Cloud. He was _injured_ damn it. Kakashi could be a little _gentler._ But already he could feel some of his wounds already healing under dried blood. Couldn't he at least _clean_ them before they could get infected? Was he _that_ stupid?

Oh well, the faster they could get to the hidden village of cloud the better, only because the Hintatori clan was one of the best around the area. Oh no, Naruto wasn't dumb to get himself hurt only to get _just_ inside the village. Oh if he was hurt enough, then they would bring him to the Hintatori clan. After all, what he had discovered from the files was that the people relied a little _too_ much on the clans healing abilities, but of course that wasn't their bloodline… that was just their talent you could say…

Then Naruto smelled it… the village wasn't far and in all his power, he tried not to heal himself. Gods, Kyuubi _knew _what his plan was and here he was, going to heal him. Stupid bastard, he always did love to torture Naruto, but then again, he was like a father Naruto never had... a very frustrating one at that.

"We're almost there," the voice he recognised as Kakashi suddenly spoke, "Be sure to keep your guard up at all times."

Naruto mentally rolled his eyes. Of course they had to keep their guard up at all times. They were ninja for God's sake. Of course they needed their guard. Did they always need reminding? It seemed that Konoha ninjas needed constant reminding. Lucky he left. Or else he might be dumb as well.

… And then Naruto berated himself. He should _never_ underestimate the opposition. That would get yourself killed. He mentally sighed as they ignored his waking figure, making their way to the main house of the Hintatori Clan, seeing as they were the main place where most people got treated in the village… how stupid, but it was to his advantage.

**::I.N.O::**

Naruto was placed on the bed, feigning sleep and made sure his wounds and bruises would _not_ heal. It had taken a lot of talking on his part to convince Kyuubi not to heal him, even though Kyuubi knew the instant the plan was set. Damn bastard always taking pleasure in his pains.

Naruto felt hands touch his wounds, but forced himself not to wince as they gave a slight sting. Some weren't even deep. That was the problem… when they were deep they didn't hurt one bit, as long as they don't touch anything fatal, but when it came to small cuts, it stung like hell.

He heard a small murmur as a doctor examined his cuts and turned to the four ninjas in the room to finally tell them of the young man's condition. Naruto listened carefully to the doctor as he told them of his _condition_ to his former friends, teacher and team mate of Konoha.

"The young lad is alright," said the man, "Although how long has the boy been unconscious?"

There was silence for a while. "I think he was asleep the whole trip…" the voice he recognised as Kakashi had said. Naruto would have blinked if he was visibly awake… Kakashi didn't know he was awake the whole trip…? Some ninja he is… _or_ Naruto was good at hiding the fact he was awake…

"That's odd," said the doctor, "He should've been awake by now." The man sighed looking at the Konoha nin, "I guess something traumatising happened and just doesn't want to wake up. Poor child…"

… Great, now Naruto had to act like some depressed kid. He mentally sighed as silence met his ears. Oh well, this was for the mission. At least he didn't have to act all so _cheery_ like he had when he was in Konoha…

He heard the door close, but still could feel the presence of four people in the room. He mentally sighed. At least he could eaves drop if they decided to talk here… maybe find out how his former friends were doing…

"Open your eyes. We know you're awake…" Oh damn, caught. And here he thought they were dumb. Oh well, he could still pretend to be depressed.

He slowly opened his eyes, green lens in place and looked at them dully from where he lay. For the first time he looked at them closely and noticed that they hadn't changed a lot and that they were only taller and matured. He studied Kakashi carefully, the teacher that tried to stop him leaving and at the same time treasured the Uchiha brat. He didn't stop out of concern. Hell, that'd be a huge surprise. No, he stopped him because he was scared of what the Akatsuki could do if they gain hold of the Kyuubi…

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it and then looked at the ceiling. He hated silences, but to play this out right he needed to act right. He was some depressed boy who was only reluctant to talk when people ask questions, otherwise he was silent. This was the character he had to play until it was time to leave. He closed his eyes. At least they didn't remove the bandages from his face. He'd be in deep shit if they had.

"Who are you?" Neji said stoically, breaking the silence.

Naruto opened his eyes again and looked at Neji quietly… just watching him, unnerving the people in the room. Finally, Naruto decided it was time to speak and said quietly, "Juan Kukiria." A name with no relation of his real one so he wouldn't be figured out so easily. He had used it quite a few times being undercover.

"Okay," Kakashi said, "Do you know what happened to you?"

Again, the silence began as he thought up an answer, just staring at him, unnerving them greatly. "I don't know," he said finally looking at the roof, "Who are you? Where am I?" He held his head, feigning hurt as he twisted in his hospitalised bed, "I-I can't remember."

A hand touched his shoulder and he stiffened at the contact, not very much liking the touch of the hand. He took long calming breaths as the hand went away. He looked at the person who chose to intrude in on his personal space and glared.

Shikamaru just shrugged, "So troublesome. You needed to calm down. Don't worry, you do not need to remember if you don't want to," he said almost lazily. If he were in his original form, Naruto would've stared in shock. The lazy ninja never really spared many words unless really needed.

"Where am I?" he repeated with more resolve for the sake of not looking suspicious, "And why am I here?" After all, everyone is naturally curious. If the memory lost boy wasn't curious about what happened that would definitely raise suspicion.

"You were seriously injured," Neji finally said, holding back a sigh, "Why else would you be in a hospital… Are certain you don't remember anything that happened before hand?"

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows in thought. What could he say? "I just remember walking on the road with my friends and my sister and the next thing I know is that we're being attacked… and then everything black out…"

Shikamaru let out an audible sigh. "Guys he _did_ say he didn't remember much. Do you guys really need to push it and ask so many questions…? Geez, you guys are really troublesome."

Naruto looked from one person to another in the room. The only one that hadn't spoken was Sasuke and what was creepy was that he just _stared_ at you and that was creepy. It had made him more_ self conscious…_ Was he that obvious? So obvious that Sasuke could see through his façade…?

No, that can't be right; because he was sure the brooding teen would have said something. He sighed and stared out the window, knowing where his two other companions were. He sighed and leaned back a little bored.

He couldn't linger here. It would happen and it would happen soon…

**::I.N.O::**

Itachi stared through the leaves on the branch of the tree he was residing on for the moment until the mission was done. He sensed something being thrown his way and his hand went up to catch the object immediately and saw that it was a rice ball.

He looked at Kisame and mentally sighed as he took a bite out of the rice ball. Kisame jumped up from the ground and sat next to his partner in crime on the branch. Naruto was taking his sweet time, but he knew it was needed. They couldn't very well attack during the day.

"When do you think he'll send up the signal?" Kisame asked as he took a bite out of his own rice ball, looking over the Hintatori estate, beside it, a small clinic where Naruto lay.

Itachi looked at Kisame for a moment before answering. "Knowing Naruto, he'd probably attack near dawn, where all the watchers would probably be downright sleepy and when everyone in the estate is asleep. You know how he likes giving people painless deaths."

Kisame nodded. Itachi didn't need to say that much. A small 'Just before dawn' would have sufficed, but ever since Itachi had taken Naruto… well, you could say that Itachi had started to speak a little more. Well, with Naruto always whining and prodding him for answers must have gotten him to be a bit more talkative... even if it is a _little_ more.

In the tree, hidden from all eyes, Kisame and Itachi watched the setting sun. Only a few more hours to go and their mission would be done and they could all head back, united back to their little group of three, to the Akatsuki. And Naruto could eat as much Ramen without bothering them for money…

**::I.N.O::**

Naruto got up from the bed and flexed his muscles, glad he could move again. He looked outside at the darkened sky. In a few hours it would be dawn. It would be best to get their mission over and done with. He stood there for a bit, deciding whether or not he should fight as Juan or Naruto and change back the colour of his hair.

He sighed deciding to fight as Juan. After all, he didn't want the Konoha ninja to know he was still alive just _yet_. It'd do no good if the Konoha ninja were to suddenly be in pursuit of him. It would be way too troublesome when he would be sent on missions. They'd be in his back all the time.

He looked at the tree and sent the signal that meant to start the operation 'Destroy the Hintatori clan and steal their scrolls'. He smiled, knowing they were already on it.

He held a necklace in his hand… glad that he had it with him and ran out of the clinic, dead set on finding the scrolls and kill anyone who got in their way and if it were the Konoha ninja, then so be it.

_I'll be okay_, he thought to himself. _The Konoha nin cannot hurt me no longer…_ But honestly, he wasn't okay… He was facing the people that had caused him misery for so many years in Konoha… The people he had used to think as friends and teachers. He hardened his face. He would overcome this. He had the Akatsuki as his home now and they were a lot better than Konoha had ever offered him…

**::I.N.O::**

Itachi felt his wrist warm up as the bracelet that was on his arm warmed and knew Naruto was starting. He looked at Kisame and they both nodded, jumping stealthily through the night.

… And so, the Hintatori clan's massacre had finally begun…

**::I.N.O::**

Kakashi shivered as he felt a foreboding shiver come down his spine as he stood out in watch around his area. He looked at the clinic not too far from him. Juan was supposedly sleeping there. He sighed as he decided to check through the window if the boy was still there. He knew it was stupid, but he needed to time to pass.

He froze… The boy wasn't there. A _very_ bad feeling came across him. O hell, he _knew _that the boy Juan was up to something. Why else wouldn't he be there at three in the morning? He was on guard instantly as he searched the ground and not too far away he saw a boy running to the Hintatori estate and knew it was Juan.

He chased after the teen. He was fast, he had to admit, but he stopped Juan by managing to get passed him as Juan deliberately slowed down.

"Who are you really?" Kakashi growled, "And why are you here?"

Juan looked at Kakashi, eyes cold and hard. Kakashi's eyes widened as he saw a lot of hate directed at him as the boy smirked. What the hell did he ever do to him?

But that's not what really surprised him… There was also misery hiding in his eyes as he looked at the young boy with wrapped bandages on his body and cheeks. His eyes showed years of experience of loneliness and hurt…

"I told you already _Hatake Kakashi_," he said steely as he got into a fighting stance, knowing he would have to face him, "My name is Kukiria Juan. As for why I'm here? It's for me to know and you to never find out!" And as soon as he said that, he attacked with great speed and Kakashi not expecting the impact was punched back into the ground with a loud crash.

**::I.N.O::**

In different areas of the compound, the ninjas looked up in alarm at the sound. Oh, they knew what that meant… The Akatsuki members were here. They were on guard instantly…

**::I.N.O::**

_**But you really need to listen to me  
Because I'm telling you the truth  
I mean this, I'm okay!  
(Trust Me)**_

_**I'm not okay  
I'm not okay  
Well, I'm not okay  
I'm not o-fucking-kay  
I'm not okay  
I'm not okay  
(Okay)**_

* * *

_**Okay guys, here's the chapter. Lol, I'm trying my best without a Beta... -hint, hint- Anyways, review review lolz. tell me if its bad good or needs a lot more work. Spring in Winter will update soon, not to worry. Lol, Just not too soon hahahahaha...**_

_** -SxT**_


	4. Thank you

**_Okay guys, this is something you don't want to hear... I am putting Spring in the middle of Winter on hold. Gah! I am so sorry for those who are waiting for that to update. I know I said I would soon, and I honestly thought I would, but I am enraptured (If thats the right word) with this one and I have had a sudden major writer's block with that story and would be great if someone could give me suggestions for that one... anyway, here chapter four. Lol, its longer this time. I think about seven pages on word... hey, I'm improving. _**

**_Anyways, this time its a song called 'Thank you!' by Dido. _**

**_Lol, anyways, Enjoy:_**

* * *

**_Chapter four: Thank you  
_**

* * *

**_My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why  
I got out of bed at all  
The morning rain clouds up my window  
and I can't see at all  
And even if I could it'd all be grey,  
but your picture on my wall  
It reminds me that it's not so bad,  
it's not so bad_**

**::T.Y::**

To see everything move as if they weren't really there. To fight with a subconscious mind as they never really look at their opponent. Always, always watching, turning, blocking and intercepting each attack as the opponent got angrier.

"Do not underestimate me," Naruto, in the face of his other self, Juan, said detachedly, "Do not underestimate me only because I'm a mere teenager _Hatake._" His eyes showed no emotion as he watched in slow motion as Kakashi brought in another attack.

Naruto fought with half a mind as he dodged each movement with a grace only a fox could provide. "I am not your everyday opponent Hatake. Stop fighting me with half of your potential."

Naruto finally did a couple of hand seals as Kakashi, yet again, aiming a punch, but before it reached Naruto, roots sprouted out of the ground at amazing speed as he whispered the attack and twisted around Kakashi's body, making him immobile. Naruto gave Kakashi a shadowed smile.

"You're the one underestimating me!" He said, his cool, calm composure lost somewhere in the battle between them, "You stupid kid, do you think I could be defeated so easily."

Naruto shook his head. "I know you as the copy ninja from Konoha. With the fact you hadn't even showed me your Sharingan eye proves that you are underestimating me, thinking that you could defeat with half of what you can pull. I'm disappointed."

Kakashi's visible eye glared at Naruto hard and Naruto got a brief flashback of Kakashi smiling at him in his younger days. Naruto smiled softly at the former teacher and Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise at the smile. Just, why in the seven depths of hell was Naruto smiling? …Naruto just couldn't hate him and his former friends for too long. It wasn't really their fault that they hold such great hatred towards Kyuubi.

"I really am a fool," Naruto said as Kakashi looked at him with more confusion than he'd seen in his life, "I really am," he repeated as he pressed a pressure point on Kakashi's neck as the adult fought for consciousness. The last thing he heard before going out was, "See you Kakashi Sensei…"

Naruto dispelled the jutsu and Kakashi fell onto the ground with a thud. Naruto sighed and looked at the night sky, then proceeded towards the mansion, already seeing that Itachi and Kisame had gone through this side as scattered bodies lay on the ground unmoving.

Naruto winced as the wind blew on his wound on his arm that Kakashi managed to inflict earlier with Chidori. He had to be more careful next time. The only reason he got hit was because his mind was wandering off as they fought. He sighed as he ran through the estate, seeing the ninja that were protecting the Hintatori estate were either unconscious or dead.

Naruto sighed. Oh well, shit happens. At least Kisame and Itachi were kind enough to let _some_ of them live.

"Juan! What are you doing?" a voice called out and his head whipped around to see…

**::T.Y::**

Kisame grinned maniacally as he held Samehada in front of himself. Itachi was on the other side of the estate probably killing with more grace than Kisame… not like the shark-like man cared. The ninja made hand seals as Kisame attacked and realised as a lamp was smashed into pieces that the ninja had used _Kawarimi no jutsu._

Kisame looked about him, pinpointing where the ninja was hiding. Kisame grinned evilly, "You cannot hide from me!"

The ninja's eyes widened as Kisame came at him fast. He quickly did hand seals and slammed his hand onto the ground. "_Doton Doruki Gaeshi_!" He said quickly as a mud wall appeared before him as protection, but it was useless. Kisame merely broke the wall that guarded the poor ninja before he lay in his own blood.

**::T.Y::**

Itachi closed his eyes as he sensed a dark figure following him. He smirked to himself as he recognised who it was. "Sasuke," he said in monotone. He turned around to be faced with his little brother who had an angry fire burning in his eyes.

"What did you do to Naruto!" he yelled at Itachi, "What sort of hypnotism did you use to make him follow you!"

Itachi smirked at his fuming younger brother and decided to amuse him before they fought. "I assure, otouto, Naruto is all good and well… for now." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him. "As for the hypnotism… I assure you, I did nothing. He came with me _willingly_."

"Bull_shit_!" Sasuke said as he charged at Itachi with chidori, "You liar! Give him back!"

Itachi caught Sasuke's hand and as he did, he felt some kind of Déjà vu, like this had happened before. The attack dispersed from the 18-year-old's hand. Itachi pushed the teen to the wall hard and held him up by the neck, Itachi's blazing red. "Do you think I'd ever give him back to you to that _hellhole_? If you hadn't noticed while you were so obsessed with gaining power from Orochimaru and poking a hole in your best friend's chest you would have noticed that he was slowly breaking."

Itachi's hand tightened around Sasuke's neck as he held Itachi's wrist, trying to get it off him as he choked. Itachi stared at Sasuke with hatred, red eyes blazing. He shouldn't have let him live and killed them with the rest of the family.

**- Flashback -**

Naruto sat in front of a cave of the mountains as he overlooked the view of a village, his chin on his knees. It wasn't the village of Konoha, but it still reminded him of his old home as he stared down at the working village. The wind blew about his body making him pull the Akatsuki cloak wrapped around him tightly even more closely to him. It was cold. Of course the Akatsuki cloak was warm… but _he_ was cold.

Itachi watched the boy from the cave mouth. The boy hadn't been smiling ever since he left the cursed village and he was shivering. Did the boy still miss the place? That place was a hell hole, that didn't even look passed outer appearances…

"You know Itachi," The boy's soft voice reaching his ears and Itachi looked at the boy questioningly. "I miss Konoha, but I'm glad I left it be… cause I know I would have sunk lower into… depression."

The smell of salt reached Itachi's nose and he knew the boy was crying and Itachi made a move and sat beside the boy. Naruto choked a sob. "But… you kn-know," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "Th-there were still happy times… B-but it all turned b-bad when Orochimaru off-offered him power. H-he was s-so ob-obsessed with i-it that h-he we-went as far as using Chidori on me and made a hole through my chest i-in an attempt to k-kill me…

"B-but I still ma-managed to get him unconscious with Rasengan and carried his body back to Konoha," Tears poured down his face and Itachi felt a little uncomfortable, never dealing with this before. Hesitantly he brought his arms around the small frame and hugged him as he sobbed.

"B-but I… I never got one thank you," he sobbed out, "I was half dead, but they cared more about their precious Uchiha that they didn't noticed my wounds 'til almost too late. Even Sakura went back to being a bi-bitch and once everyone found about Kyuubi, everyone hated me…" he hiccupped as he buried his head even more into Itachi's warmth, "Everyone… thought I was going to kill him… He was my best friend and he… almost k-killed me…"

Itachi's grip tightened around him as the boy sobbed and for some odd reason he kissed the boy's forehead in an odd way to comfort him. "Naruto-kun," he said softly, "Don't worry, I'll be here to protect you. Those people can no longer hurt you."

**- End of flashback -**

Itachi's eyes blazed angrily at the choking and gasping teen before him as his scratched at Itachi's wrist. "I would _never_ let anyone like you go near him," he slammed him into the wall again for more effect. Itachi narrowed his eyes, "No one from your village will _never_ go near and hurt him again…"

Itachi stared at Sasuke for a while before he scowled and let him drop. "You're pathetic… you're not worth killing."

He let Sasuke drop to the ground gasping for breath. Sasuke glared at Itachi, "Do _not_… underestimate me!" he said in a raspy voice as Itachi turned away from his brother, "I'm not going to _ever_ listen to your lies!" Sasuke threw kunai with extreme speed, but Itachi dodged them with graceful movements.

**::T.Y::**

Naruto looked back and saw Shikamaru and Neji looking at him. "Juan, what are you doing here? It's dangerous," Neji exclaimed, "We're in the middle of battle." Naruto's eyes widened as they didn't think of him as the perpetrator of the crime that's going underhand… He could use this.

"You're injured," Shikamaru stated, seeing the blood trail down Naruto's arm and drip on the floor and he noticed not too far away Kakashi lay on the ground unconscious. He looked at Naruto with suspicion, but didn't say anything… _yet_.

Naruto gulped. Okay, what lie could he make up this time…? _Shit_, he was screwed. "It's nothing, a wound just reopened when I got up and yeah…"

Oh man he was really screwed and he knew that by the way Neji was staring at him with narrowed suspicions. Naruto tried to run. Oh crap, he couldn't… He was stuck in Shikamaru's shadow bind. "_Shit!_" he swore.

"Neji check on Kakashi," Shikamaru said crossing his hands so Naruto's hands was not near any weapon. "I can deal with Juan, after all, he can't move."

Neji nodded and quickly checked on Kakashi and looked at Shikamaru with shock. "He's just passed out. There aren't any injuries."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at Naruto. What exactly is his intention? He watched as Naruto struggled and his eyes widened as Naruto managed to move and break free and collapse on the ground panting. How the hell did he do that?

Naruto looked at them both on his guard. He knew he was already screwed as it was. His injured arm, the surrounding dead bodies, Kakashi unconscious. Yup, he was screwed.

Naruto narrowed his fake green eyes at them, "Do _not _get in my way. I thank you both for helping me earlier, but you will _not_ get in the way of my mission here," he said in a deadly low voice, "Leave me be and I promise you, your lives will be spared."

Neji and Shikamaru looked at the opposing boy incredulously. "Look here," Neji said, "We are ninjas. We would not abandon our mission to protect people so we could save our own lives."

"Very well," Naruto snarled, "You have chosen and I would not spare you." Oh hell, he knew it was a lie and they would probably end up like Kakashi… only with a few injuries this time. "At least entertain me this time."

All three were in a fighting stance. Naruto closed his eyes. These two were stronger than they were three years ago. It wouldn't be easy as Kakashi in half his strength. Naruto opened his eyes and stared at his two opponents.

"You cannot catch me again in that shadow bind. I've already seen it once," Naruto said, his voice void of emotion.

Neji watched the teen before them. Why was he doing this…? What exactly was his mission? Does he work with…? Oh hell no…! Could he really be…?

"Are you working with the Akatsuki?" Neji asked, narrowing his eyes.

Naruto smirked at the question. He figured that Shikamaru already figured out, but didn't think Neji would catch on nearly as quick. "Sharp one," he said, "But I bet you already figured out, ne, Nara-kun?"

Shikamaru looked at him and narrowed his eyes. How did he know his name? This teenager knew something that they didn't. Knew _them_, yet they didn't know… He paused. The covered cheeks… why he spared Kakashi… of course, it all fit. Why didn't he see earlier? He stood up lazily getting out of his stance. Neji looked at him curiously.

"Well, _Juan_, if that is who you really are," he droned out lazily, "I don't feel like fighting you this day." Neji looked at him with suspicion, "But I do not want you to go ahead with the mission. Tell me honestly, why are you with the Akatsuki?"

Naruto sighed. He should have known Shikamaru would have figured it out. Oh well, he did slip up a few times. "So you know," he said standing straight, slightly sighing, "You know, I went with them willingly. What is there to do when everyone practically hates you once they find out about your secret? I couldn't exactly stay."

Neji looked between the two. What in the world were they both saying? Were they _friends?_ This Akatsuki member and Shikamaru? _Lazy_ Shikamaru.

"I'm guessing you're about to spill my whereabouts and what I'm doing to everyone?" Naruto said, eye's watching both teens suspiciously. "Cause me more pain? I don't blame you Nara-kun. After all, I am a demon in my own rights, aren't I?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Believe it or not, I figured it out when you had your match in the Chuunin exams. I didn't bother telling anyone then."

Naruto looked at him shocked and Neji thought it'd be time to speak. Still on his guard he asked, "What are you guys on about? He's part of the Akatsuki Shikamaru. I suggest putting past feelings aside and start fighting!" And with the last word, he threw five kunai at Naruto and his eyes widened as he just stood there smiling and taking the hit.

Both Shikamaru and Neji were in immediate alarm as he disappeared in a puff of smoke, but were knocked out as their pressure points were hit and the last word that they heard was 'Sorry' with an echo of two voices of the same person.

Naruto stared sadly down at the two unconscious figures before and sneaked a note into Shikamaru's pocket with a sigh. They spent so much time speaking that they hadn't noticed he had clones around. Oh well. At least they were able to escape injuries. God help him if he were to meet Sasuke. Although former friend, Naruto held some kind of grudge against him. It was his fault he nearly died, it was his fault that everyone thought he was trying to kill him and it was his fault he suddenly felt everything leave him.

Naruto knew he wouldn't let Sasuke off that easily.

Naruto ran into the building, staining his hands with blood of ninjas as he made his way to find the scroll and the Hintatori members.

**::T.Y::**

Sasuke panted as he glared at Itachi, Itachi almost in the same situation, only not as puffed out. The brothers glared at each other. Kisame came into view of the fight and blinked.

He looked at Itachi, "Oyo, Itachi, hurry up will you. I have the scrolls. Let's just kill off the members now. Anyways, our little buddy is waiting on us. He took care of the other Konoha nin."

Sasuke glared and looked at Kisame suspiciously. _Little buddy?_ He thought to himself. This wasn't right. Akatsuki only travelled in pairs and only ever rarely did they ask for help.

Itachi nodded. "It seems that I have very little time to waste on you little brother," he smirked and then sneered, "I won't be as tolerant next time. I will say this once, and only once: Naruto will _never_ go back to Konoha." With that he left and Sasuke fell onto the ground in a tired heap. He'd get Itachi next time…

**::T.Y::**

Naruto looked at Itachi from the tree he was leaning on before running up and hugging him. Something common in the group since Naruto joined. "Yay!" he said happily, his features back to normal, "I missed you. I haven't seen you in ages!"

Itachi mentally sighed, "It's only been a day." He said to the teen. He put an arm around the teen's shoulders and looked at Kisame.

"They seemed to be very weak," Kisame said shrugging as they fled off into the brightening sky. Naruto nodded in agreement as he jumped with his group. The Hintatori clan; they specialised in the Earth. Controlling it without the need of hand seals and even if that were the case, they didn't seem to fight back very well.

**::T.Y::**

Kakashi groaned as he woke up, feeling that his back was very stiff. On a nearby rock, he saw Sasuke in a sedative manner, sitting with his eyes closed. "We failed," he said to Kakashi in a soft voice. Not far from him, Neji and Shikamaru were unconscious.

Kakashi looked around with blank eyes. … They had failed and hell, the Akatsuki didn't even try…

"Kukiria Juan is gone too," he said quietly, opening his obscured eyes and looked at Kakashi. "Do you know anything of that?" Kakashi sighed as the other two began waking up, "And how you three are unconscious, even though you don't have a scratch on you?"

Kakashi blinked and checked himself. Indeed, he had no injuries. "You can't be serious," he said and looked at the now awake figures of Neji and Shikamaru and both were also unharmed.

Shikamaru stood up and put his pockets in his hands, feeling a suspicious brush of paper. However, he ignored it for now and stared at the now ruined estate. He looked at Sasuke. "Kukiria Juan was part of the Akatsuki."

At this Sasuke visibly stiffened and he looked at Shikamaru. "What?" he said.

Shikamaru sighed. "So troublesome. I said—"

"I know what you said!" he exclaimed, "I am saying we practically _let_ them inside. We let that _Juan _kid, _Itachi _and _Kisame_ in!" he said, causing Neji to widen his eyes.

Itachi and Kisame were here! And he was dealing with the kid! Shikamaru, however, had a feeling, as soon he had figured out that Juan was Naruto. Why he hadn't told them yet, was puzzling to him. He hadn't told them of Kyuubi the first time he had felt the power, nor had he told them of Naruto's appearance. Oh no, he felt sad actually that he had lost the blonde idiot.

It was Konoha's entire fault. A boy could only take in so much hatred and be so forgiving. Shikamaru _knew_ he was bound to break. No, Shikamaru felt he had lost a good friend. A friend who was none other than himself and not some monster sealed to save their godforsaken lives. So, no one really deserved to know of Naruto's appearance.

"Let's get moving and report to the Hokage," Kakashi said solemnly, "There is nothing else we could do."

They all nodded and went off. Shikamaru stayed for a bit and took out the note placed in his pocket and smiled. Four simple words, but Shikamaru was happy with that. He placed it back in his pocket and ran after the others.

_Thank you, old friend._

**::T.Y::**

**_Push the door, I'm home at last  
and I'm soaking through and through   
Then you hand me a towel  
and all I see is you  
And even if my house falls down,  
I wouldn't have a clue  
Because you're near me and_**

**_I want to thank you  
for giving me the best day of my life  
Oh just to be with you  
is having the best day of my life_**

* * *

**_Hey hey, how was that? Good? bad? In the middle? Lol, people, need those reviews! Anyways, Secret13! I'd love it if you'd be my Beta reader... only I never got your email address xD. Anyways, Love you all and review!_**

**_-SxT  
_**


	5. High Voltage

**_Hi hi, I'm sorreh for teh wait. Lol, I hope you like this chapter. Don't worry there'll be more coming up in the other chapters... just been busy with work. Lol, anyways..._**

* * *

**_Chapter five: High Voltage  
_**

* * *

**_Just do something to tell you who I am, ya know?_**

**_It's high voltage you cant shake the shock  
Because nobody wants it to stop, check it out (x4)  
_**

**_I've been taking into crates ever since I was living in space  
Before the retrace, before monkeys had human traits  
Mastered numerology and big bang theology  
Performed lobotomies with telekinetic psychology   
Invented the mic so I could start blessing it  
And chincheckin kids to make my point like an impressionist  
Many men have tried to shake us  
But I twist mic cords to double helixes and show them what I'm made of  
I buckle knees like leg braces  
Cast the spell of instrumental-ness and all of the emcees that hate us  
So try on, leave you without a shoulder to cry on  
From now to infinity let icons be bygones  
I fire bomb ghostly notes haunt this  
I've tried threats but moved on to a promise  
I stomp shit with or without an accomplice  
(Mixed media)  
The stamp of approval is on this_**

**..::H.V::..**

Tsunade stared calmly at the people seated before her, but inside her emotions were raging in a mess. They had failed! Not even twenty four hours at the estate and they managed to get the _whole _clan killed.

She smiled a dark smile making the four people before her unconsciously shiver in slight fear. "Now tell me kindly," she said calmly before she shouted, "Why in seven depths of hell have the three of you have gone unscathed while the other ninjas have died or severely injured! Even Sasuke himself had a few injuries!"

Kakashi gulped before explaining. "Well," he started, "There was this boy…"

"I don't need anymore lies Kakashi!" Tsunade shouted, "Do you even _know_ how serious the situation has gotten! While you three have not the slightest injuries and Sasuke not even hurt that bad the hidden village of Cloud is now blaming _us_ to be in alliance with the Akatsuki."

"What!" three of them said together, however Shikamaru wasn't surprised. He began to speak up, "So troublesome… Hokage-sama, we were caught unawares as the teen, Kukiria Juan, happened to be part of the Akatsuki. He spared us three by just merely knocking us out because we happened to save his life from the fatal wounds he had received before we knew he was an Akatsuki. Also, to add to the fact that Sasuke is only hurt because he had encountered Uchiha Itachi."

Tsunade looked at Sasuke sharply. And Sasuke sighed. "I found him and asked about Naruto. He didn't give me a straight answer and then Kisame came in later saying he and his companion are waiting. Hokage-sama, is it possible that the Akatsuki are now travelling in groups of three?"

Tsunade paused and was in deep thought and then shook her head, "What I've gathered so far, the Akatsuki only travel in pairs and they would _rarely_ ever travel in groups of three. It is just unknown." She closed her eyes. An oncoming headache was making its way to her head. She _really_ needed to speak to Jiraiya. "Okay, we'll continue this talk later," she said rubbing her temples, "Dismissed."

**..::H.V::..**

Naruto yawned as he stretched and walked out into the clearing. The sun shone brightly overhead as he smiled at the clear skies. Naruto breathed in the fresh air before turning, before coming face to face with Itachi. He shrieked and jumped back in surprise.

"Itachi!" He said, trying to regain his composure and what pride he had left at the moment, "I told you _not_ to do that!"

Itachi uncharacteristically snorted. "And that's going to stop me doing that? It's not my fault you can't sense me."

Naruto pouted. "That's not fair! You're still stronger than me! You could give at least a little warning! Hah! Or you'll regret it when I become stronger!"

Kisame sighed at the bickering as he made breakfast. It had become a common thing in the group since Naruto had joined and Itachi had lightened a hell lot… when there was absolutely _no one _around.

"Will you two shut up and hurry up and eat before breakfast gets cold." Kisame said sighing, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you two were bickering lovebirds." He looked at them and laughed nervously at Itachi's expression, "Well, lucky I know better, huh?"

Naruto nodded as he swallowed the fish Kisame made for breakfast. "Yup! You know a lot better! Geez, you've been with me for three years and Itachi for even more. You know we're all just friends."

Itachi chewed slowly on his fish as he listened to the two now argue. He mentally sighed.

"Yeah, but ever since you came, things have been a hell lot different!" Kisame shouted at the blonde.

Naruto pouted. "So what? He knew I wouldn't stop annoying him if he didn't talk. Hell, these past three years was to make him talk more and it worked. I never saw you try!"

Kisame glared. "Yeah, but if I did any of those things, I would have been dead by now, you brat!"

Naruto poked his tongue out at Kisame. "You're just a coward!"

If looks could kill Naruto would be dead by now.

Itachi mentally sighed, before stopping the both of them. "Both of you shut up and eat your breakfast. We need to head back to the Akatsuki headquarters later."

Naruto looked at Itachi and smiled, "Sure!"

**..::H.V::..**

Shikamaru sighed in content as he stared at the clouds overhead. No one was here, the peace and serenity of it all. And was about to drift off to sleep until he heard footsteps. He groaned turning his back to the noise as it got closer to him.

"Oyo, Shikamaru," Shikamaru scowled. He knew that voice and it belonged to a certain Hyuuga who cut his and Naruto's conversation short by throwing Kunai. "Shikamaru, I know you're awake."

"So troublesome," He looked at Neji _trying_ not to glare since he was supposedly a friend… Trying and failing, "What do you want?"

"How do you know Kukiria-kun?" Neji asked getting straight to the point since he knew that _somehow_ Shikamaru was angry at him. "And why in hell's name did he say sorry if he was opposing us."

"So troublesome," he looked away, "He said he wanted to spare our lives because we saved him," he said, his mind working quickly. "So my guess is he didn't want to hurt us and he _was_ an old time friend, so that's what probably made him hesitate."

Neji narrowed his eyes at Shikamaru. He was acting suspicious. He didn't know _how_ he seems suspicious, but he does. "You still haven't answered my first question Nara."

Shikamaru glared back equally to Neji before he turned away and slouched looking in a different direction. "You wouldn't know even if I told you." He said and doing something as troublesome as getting up. "So troublesome. Anyway, I have to be somewhere right now."

Neji stared as Shikamaru walked away. The boy was being odd. Hell, these last three years have been odd… and who the hell was Kukiria Juan? He needed to look that up soon. Something was definitely not right here.

**..::H.V::..**

On the other side of Konoha however, there was one person who was thoroughly confused as he sat in his room thinking.

_See you Kakashi Sensei_…

The words never really left his mind. What in world's name was that about? Sensei… Why would he be called Sensei? Sasuke and Sakura were the only ones that called him Sensei and he was pretty sure Naruto is dead. I mean, what use would a dead last be to them once they extract Kyuubi?

Kakashi sighed and looked outside from his seat by the window and frowned. There was something not right here… Was Naruto still alive? No, that can't be right. He leaned back into his chair and looked at his ceiling with a small sigh before closing his eyes. An image of Juan came before him and a soft smile graced his face: The one smile that caught him off guard. Why did the boy smile at him? He needed to check up files on Kukiria Juan… He opened his eyes with that new resolve… he needed to check the files now.

**..::H.V::..**

An hour later Neji and Kakashi bumped into each other in the file room as they both stared at each other with a blank look and frozen on the spot. Kakashi cleared his throat and straightened up, him being older and of a higher rank asked in _such_ a _dignified _manner, "Neji, what on earth are you doing here?"

Neji raised an eyebrow, "I'd like to ask the same thing Hatake-san."

They stared at each other before Neji sighed in resignation. "I'm curious about the Kukiria kid. Wanted to check on his records..."

Kakashi nodded before holding up a folder that was in his right hand and smiled under his mask, "This is his file." Neji blinked for a while with the lack of punishment before his face broke out with an unnatural smile. They could finally find out with who Shikamaru had associated with in the past with.

And in a ramen bar of Konoha, a certain ninja sneezed. Kiba laughed and grinned at Shikamaru, "Hey, someone must be thinking of you!" Shikamaru shrugged mumbling something about troublesome people. "Aw, c'mon, you haven't really said much to any of us in three years. What's up?"

Shikamaru sighed. It had taken _three_ years for Kiba to ask what was wrong. His left eye twitched unwillingly. What was with people and asking so many questions and _why_ in heaven's hell _three_ goddamn years later. _Three!_ He mentally sighed and looked at Kiba with a calculative look before turning back to the ramen he was eating. "Tell me Kiba, _what_ did you think of Naruto?"

Kiba blinked with the unexpected question and stared at the young adult who seemed to take a liking to ramen three years prior. This was where you could find the lazy shinobi half the time. At least he wasn't bad as Naruto. He looked at his dog, Akamaru, which had grown into a hell of a big dog before answering with a frown. "I feel guilty y'know? I was one of the people that caused him to run away. Yes, I believe he did actually run away and wasn't really kidnapped. I mean, who could really handle the rejection and hatred of every single person in the village.

"It's not that I hated him, y'know? I was shocked at first and needed to think so I stayed away for a while and when I came to the conclusion, Naruto was still Naruto it was too late. Everyone had already drawn him away. He was gone never to be seen again," He let out a sigh before grinning at Shikamaru, although the guilt still held in his eyes, "Now you must hate me for thinking Naruto as a friend, but that won't change my thinking."

Shikamaru let a small smile fall on his face that Kiba looked at him shocked. Shikamaru hadn't smiled in _years_ and he just saw a smile then and it wasn't a fake one that was for sure. Shikamaru looked at Kiba, "That was what I wanted to hear."

Kiba looked at him for a while, before the message of what Shikamaru had said dawned onto him and he grinned happily, feeling more content than he had in three years, "You don't hate him either!" he exclaimed happily laughing, glad he wasn't the only one in this god forsaken village.

Shikamaru's smile grew a little more and shook his smiling a bit. "You're all so troublesome," he said pointing in chopsticks at Kiba, "Especially you. You come second to Naruto's troublemaking here."

Kiba grinned proudly, glad to have the title... I mean, who could ever beat Naruto's troublemaking, Kiba was one of the closest people in Konoha to actually cause some ruckus here and there. And he was _second_. God help them if was someone that could actually beat someone like Naruto in the art of pranks.

"Anyway," Shikamaru said sighing, "I think the both of us need to pay the Hokage a visit…"

**..::H.V::..**

Naruto sighed as he looked at the caged person in front of him as the person happily ate. They were now in the Akatsuki headquarters as Itachi and Kisame explained their mission to the leader. Naruto was to wait out the room. For reasons unknown, the leaders didn't quite trust Naruto as of yet to show their faces to him.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked the trapped person before him.

"I'm fine Naruto," he said after swallowing, "You can't blame them for caging me. After all, I attempted to run away at least, hm, fifteen times in this lifetime." He grinned at Naruto. The boy was a year younger than Naruto. His skin was pale due to lack of the sun and his silky brown hair had grown just past his shoulder and messily cut. His clothes were ripped and torn, but not so much and an Akatsuki cloak in the corner of the cage as a coat to keep him warm.

Naruto stared at the boy, blinking, "But why do they need you?" he asked the smiling boy before him.

"Ah well, that is for me to know and you to never find out," he said, grinning. An odd look for someone inside the cage.

"Aw... that's not fair... Oh! I know," he said grinning, "How about if I ask Itachi to ask the leader if they could let you out and stay with me and I'd keep watch. That way you'd be able to move around and the Akatsuki, meaning me, Itachi and Kisame, will keep an eye on you at all times. That is if you promise not to run. C'mon Juan, it'd be fun and if you trust me enough, you can tell me why the Akatsuki has you."

Juan tilted his head to the side a bit, contemplatively, before smiling at the grinning blonde before him. "I don't know _why_ you'd do this for a simple person such as myself, but go ahead, I promise not to run, but as for telling you..."

Naruto cheered as Itachi came into the room and looked between the two with a questioning gaze. Naruto explained what he wanted to do and with many puppy dog eyes and pouts, Itachi fell in and mentally sighed, and left the room to talk to the leader. "This better be worth it Naruto," he said before exiting the room.

**..::H.V::..**

Kakashi frowned over at the file they were looking at. What was this? The picture of the ten year old didn't even look anything alike the seventeen or eighteen year old they saw in their mission.

"He was the son of a farmer in the Earth country and was kidnapped at the age of ten and thus dubbed missing," Neji said looking over the files, "It is unknown if he is alive or not and why he was kidnapped."

Kakashi blinked at the sheet before him, "Here it says that he was kidnapped by some missing nins, or to be exact, the Akatsuki…"

"And to be a normal son of a farmer," Neji said, "He seems a lot stronger and how in heaven's hell had Shikamaru met him…? In a mission somewhere…?"

Kakashi looked at Neji with slight shock. "Shikamaru _knows_ him?" He asked.

Neji nodded. "I don't know how either. They must've been really good friends as children because God knows how he encountered this Akatsuki member and not been killed. But something does not add up."

"If Juan is from the Earth country," Kakashi said, "Where did Shikamaru find the time to go to Earth country? As records state he didn't leave the Fire country much and there was no way that Kukiria could get passed the guards at such a young age without the Hokage knowing and meet Shikamaru…"

They looked at each other… Who on Earth was Shikamaru associated with?

**..::H.V::..**

"Jiraiya, but this doesn't make sense!" Tsunade said to her old time best friend, "The Akatsuki has always traveled in twos and it just isn't known and what kind of Akatsuki member would give their real names away?"

Jiraiya sighed, "That's just the thing isn't it. Apparently, as my sources have said, there is a newer member in the Akatsuki and he or she is traveling with Red and Shark. You could only guess whose name those codes go under and the newest member's codename is _Fox_ and I don't even want to think about who that is."

"Jiraiya! Naruto would never--!" But she was interrupted by Jiraiya.

"Think about it Tsunade!" he said suddenly, "He has lead such a hellish life, I wouldn't even be surprised! Everyone, but Iruka, you and I have turned their back on him! I would have probably done the same thing if your best friend has tried to kill you and your friends turned their backs once they learned the secret!"

"But not all of his friends," a voice said at the door with a sigh and Jiraiya and Tsunade turned their heads immediately towards the door. Shikamaru slouching and Kiba grinning like an idiot, they stood at the door.

"So troublesome," Shikamaru said as both of them entered the room and closed the doors behind them.

"We were going to wait to be called in, but we couldn't help but overhear." Kiba said grinning, "Look, we both knew you two have always been a special part of Naruto's life so we decided to talk to you."

Shikamaru let out a long dragged sigh, "I have information on where Naruto was last seen, if you both are willing to let it be confidential."

Jiraiya and Tsunade stared at one another before looking at the two teens, finding it hard to believe.

"Alright, spill."

**..::H.V::..**

**_It's high voltage you cant shake the shock  
Because nobody wants it to stop, check it out  
It's high voltage you cant shake the shock   
Because nobody wants it to stop, check it out  
It's high voltage you cant shake the shock  
Because nobody wants it to stop, check it out  
It's high voltage you cant shake the shock  
Because nobody wants it to stop, check it out – 'High Voltage' by Linkin Park_**

* * *

**_Hey hey I love all the reviews, lolz I hope people will review a lot more here -hint hint- anyways, it would help if ideas are given here too. Lol, although I have a friend helping me out already... I'd like someone to give their own ideas out..._**

**_Anyways,  
-SxT  
_**


	6. From Yesterday

_**Woot, chapter 6 people is here!! Hahaha, 8 pages in Verdana and size 10 hahaha yay! I didn't think I's write a chapter that long and I hope its a longer chapter than before o.o lolz. Anyways peoples, I'm looking for good pairings to add to the story and of course Ita/naru is going to stay the same haaha... anyways...**_

* * *

_**Chapter six: From yesterday  
**_

* * *

_**FROM YESTERDAY  
He's a stranger to some  
And a vision to none  
He can never get enough,  
Get enough of the one**_

_**For a fortune he'd quit  
But it's hard to admit  
How it ends and begins  
On his face is a map of the world  
(A map of the world)  
On his face is a map of the world  
(A map of the world)  
From yesterday, it's coming!  
From yesterday, the fear!  
From yesterday, it calls him  
But he doesn't want to read the message here**_

**..::F.Y::..**

Shikamaru and Kiba sat in front of Jiraiya and Tsunade who were quiet, waiting for the two boys to explain what they knew of Naruto. Shikamaru sighed, thinking maybe it was too troublesome to go here and talk, but the subject of the matter was too important just to leave alone and forget about.

"So troublesome," Shikamaru started, "We came to you, not because you are Hokage, but because we knew you don't think of Naruto as the demon Kyuubi, but Naruto as himself. That also goes for Iruka. I may be lazy, but I know these things."

Kiba leaned back into his chair as he continued on. "From what Shikamaru has told me, Naruto has indeed joined the Akatsuki," This bit of information had elicited a gasp from the Hokage, "But this was not by force, but from his own free will. He hates the village for causing him so much grief and sadness… he just agreed to be in the Akatsuki."

Shikamaru leaned forward, serious mode on, "I am one of the few people that has talked to him from this village. The other three was in the same mission I was on and did not even consider the person before them was Naruto."

"What do you mean?" Tsunade said, "You mean…"

Shikamaru nodded his head, "Sasuke, Kakashi and Neji, have too, met him, but under the fake name as Kukiria Juan. I did not tell you before because they're some of the people in a large majority that I have little trust in. Naruto and I were having a conversation," he said sighing deeply and slouching in his chair, "So troublesome, Neji butted in and cut it short. Although Naruto does hate the village so much as to never return to it, he still has a soft spot from his former friends."

Kiba sighed, "We turned, what was once the biggest prankster in Konoha, into a murderer for the Akatsuki. All because we could not protect him from the glares and hatred the village held for Kyuubi, thinking Naruto as the demon itself."

Tsunade and Jiraiya looked between the two. These two shinobi were not joking around, but actually being serious. Naruto was actually alive and well. The Akatsuki had not actually killed him, or extracted Kyuubi.

He was alive.

**..::F.Y::..**

"Ne, ne, so did he let?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Itachi just sighed and rubbed his temples from an oncoming headache. "Yes, they agreed, only if I was to keep watch as well." He shook his head at the grinning teen before him, "You're lucky that the leaders had actually agreed to go on with your plan. But they're using this as your test to see just how loyal you are to the Akatsuki."

Naruto grinned and looked at Juan, "You see, you get to walk the Earth with us," Naruto looked him over and made a face, "But first lets get you cleaned up, ne?"

Juan grinned back. "Why not, unlock this cage and I would be getting back to being clean."

Itachi mentally sighed, took out a key and placed it in the key hole and it clicked open. The teen, Juan, happily hopped up, picked up the Akatsuki cloak in the corner and walked out, an unpleasant smell following him.

Juan looked at Naruto's face, "Well, I have been in there for such a long time and there isn't any baths in the cells, what'd you expect?"

After a long bath and changing after, Juan was clean to the bone and the pleasant aroma of peaches followed him. Juan grinned at Naruto and Itachi. Kisame? Well, he wandered off somewhere…

"Ne, so what should we do now?" Juan asked the two of them and gave an unsure look as soon as he saw Naruto's mischievous smile.

"What do we do?" Naruto looked at Itachi, "Am I allowed to get him 'into shape'?" he asked innocently.

**..::F.Y::..**

Iruka sighed as young children in the classroom were chattering excitedly to one another. It was useless; the kids of this generation just would not listen to a word he was saying. God help them all at examinations.

"Umino Iruka?" someone said with a light knock at the door. He looked at the two familiar faces he had not seen in a while due to missions and his role as the academy teacher.

Iruka smiled as the children of the class quietened down, curious to see who their teacher was associated with. "Shikamaru, Kiba, what do I owe with the pleasure of such a visit," he said smiling. The two of them had grown since the last he had seen them. Kiba looked less boisterous, but still held that mischievous grin and Shikamaru, although taller, still had that lazy, bored aura about him and he kept his slouched figure known. Iruka thought he'd never seen the teen ever stand up straight.

"After class, meet on top of the roof and we can talk of a certain fox-like boy," Kiba said grinning and looked at the confused faces of the children in the classroom. "Hey kiddos, giving Iruka Sensei a hard time?" The kids just looked at him innocently and shook their heads and Kiba let out a soft chuckle as he turned back to Iruka.

Iruka, however, had a dumbfounded expression. He walked to them in a daze, nearly tripping. "Y-you found him!" he exclaimed.

"Yes and no," Shikamaru said, "So troublesome, we'll meet up later, Iruka-san," already passed calling Iruka a teacher, he hadn't said Sensei. He smiled, "Just don't forget." And in a swirl of leaves Kiba and Shikamaru disappeared leaving a confused group of kids and a happy teacher.

**..::F.Y::..**

Naruto mumbled incoherently as he slept in the afternoon. He was having a nightmare as he also thrashed about in bed. Juan just sighed audibly. This had been going on for ages. His nightmares. Juan held and whispered soothing words to him, slowly calming him. He looked out the window of the small hut they were in that was previously vacant and sat up quietly, letting go of Naruto. Juan knew if Itachi caught him like that he was surely dead.

… Speaking of him… He should really get those two together. He'd seen them together. Itachi's silent laughs, his hidden smiles when Naruto wasn't looking. Itachi came into the hut and gave a questioning gaze over at the sleeping Naruto.

Juan just shrugged. "How long are we staying in this hut? Has the leader given another assignment?" He said normally, knowing Naruto was a deep sleeper and would not wake up unless war was raging outside the door.

Itachi nodded. "We have to retrieve another vessel with the tailed beast in them. This one is the five-tailed wolf. We'll set travel once Kisame returns from wherever he went and Naruto wakes up."

Juan nodded, but frowned, "But I don't think Naruto would go along with it since he's a vessel himself and he knows that this organisation kills the vessel for the demon. He was only spared at your request."

Itachi looked at the sleeping form of Naruto who slept in somewhat peace. He mentally sighed and sat on a chair at the bedside. Itachi stared at Naruto for a while before moving a stray lock from his face gently. "That's okay, but the problem is," he said turning to Juan, "The Akatsuki leaders said this one was _only_ for Kisame and me… You and Naruto have a different mission. That's why I said I'll leave when Kisame gets here and Naruto gets up. I have to explain his mission to him and I know he isn't going to like it very much."

"Naruto and I?" he said incredulously, "You've got to be kidding me. I had just been released from my prison. What makes them think I won't run once I'm out?"

"They know you wouldn't betray Naruto like that." He said, "And if you did, they'll put punishment onto Naruto for letting you escape and these punishments aren't light."

Juan sighed and knew that. He knew he wouldn't run away for the sake of Naruto. He was a kind friend and he didn't need to put torture upon him. He had dealt with enough in his life. "I know," he said letting out a long sigh, "I just didn't think I'd be sent out on a mission shortly after I've been let out of that cage."

Naruto groaned and opened his eyes from his slumber, causing the two other male occupants to look at him. He blinked, "Wha' 'appen?" he asked, he mouth still not functioning properly for he was just waking up.

"You decided to take a nap after Itachi said that you couldn't get me into shape… for now," Juan answered brightly. "Besides while you were off in your little world, Itachi has a mission assigned to us." He said as Kisame came in, "Hello Kisame-kun."

Kisame nodded in greeting and his eyes met Itachi's and he knew there was something up. He shrugged and sat down on the nearest chair. "I'm guessing we have a mission," he said, "What is it?"

Itachi looked at all the occupants in the room and Naruto's face lit up at the word mission. They could travel again! He looked at Itachi with a great big smile, but it faltered when he saw the grim and worried looked set on Itachi's face that wasn't usually there…

Itachi let out a long sigh, avoiding Naruto's look of hopefulness that they would travel _together_ once again. He looked at Kisame, "We actually have a different mission from Kukiria-kun—"

"Just call me Juan," Juan interrupted with a small smile.

Itachi continued on, as if he didn't interrupt, but replaced his name. "…Juan-kun and Naruto. The leaders have decided to test where you lie since they don't trust Naruto completely seeing that he probably still has strong ties with certain people in Konoha." Itachi explained, noticing Naruto's look of bewilderment as he glanced at him. "Kisame and I are to retrieve the five-tailed fox… however Naruto and Juan-kun are to go to," he mentally sighed as he could imagine the shock on Naruto's face, "Konoha… Your mission lies in there…"

He looked at Naruto and saw that the teenager was, indeed, sitting there looking at him in shock, mouth agape. "Y-you can't be serious!" he said, "They think I'm dead, and… and they…" he said leaving the sentence unfinished, knowing that Itachi had understood the words that everyone hated him… then he clutched at Itachi's cloak, looking at him, nearly in tears… a big reaction for one who was returning… to the place he used to call home…

_Home_…

There was no way he was going to call Konoha that ever again. His home was with Itachi and Kisame. They were his family and wherever they went or stayed, no matter how much they moved, those two were his family… those two were the ones that brought the _real_ smiles out. And he was about to leave them to _go back to Konoha…_

Itachi sighed when he saw those unshed tears in Naruto's eyes and brought him close for a hug, ignoring the fact that Juan and Kisame were there. He rubbed soothing motions on his back. "Naruto," he whispered in his ear, making the boy-like teen unconsciously shiver at the warm breath that passed over his ear, although Itachi mistook it for something else, "It wasn't my choice, for, if it was I would _never_ let you go back, but this is a mission. I promise, once I get mine over and done with I'll come back to you, so don't worry too much, okay? I'll come back and get you out of that hellhole once your mission is done."

"Do you mean it?" he mumbled into Itachi's cloak and he answered with a soft 'yes'.

In the room, now forgotten, Kisame and Juan observed the scene. Kisame had a sly smirk on his face. Oh, he could use this for blackmail and fun teasing. Juan, on the other hand, held a secretive smile. Oh, he knew it! Those two love each other, even though they didn't know it yet. They looked adorable too. And they contrasted each other. Itachi can be an emotionless jerk at times and Naruto was a sweet innocent teen that cared about others.

Itachi, just realising people were in the room coughed and straightened his back and pulled Naruto back softly by the shoulders, "Now, I'm not done yet," he said gently as if the sad teen might break, "I haven't even explained the mission."

Naruto nodded and he looked at Juan who smiled softly at him. "Not to worry, while Itachi-sama isn't there," he said, "I'm there, besides, I'm curious of the place of where you used to reside and I'm sure that as soon as Itachi is back, he will come for you."

Kisame smirked. "Besides, I won't let you go since I have great blackmail material now," but his smirk faltered at Itachi's expression and he let out a nervous laugh, "I mean, great material to… teach you…"

Itachi just shook his head and decided to explain the mission. "Well, your mission is…"

**..::F.Y::..**

Iruka walked outside, the fresh breeze hitting his face as he walked onto the roof, looking at the familiar faces of two of his previous students. He smiled anxiously at them, wanting to hear about Naruto. "So, what did you two want to talk about?" Iruka questioned, hoping that these two were the few people that liked Naruto.

Kiba grinned and Shikamaru, as usual, stood there in a slouched position. "We're here to talk to you about Naruto," Kiba said, gesturing him take a seat beside him, "We think that you should know this and the only other people who know this beside myself and Shikamaru, is Tsunade and Jiraiya."

Shikamaru sighed and decided to take over. "Now, you are not to tell another soul in this whole village unless it is approved by Kiba, me, Hokage-sama or Jiraiya-sama." Iruka nodded eager to know about Naruto. Shikamaru sighed and looked at the drifting clouds. "Naruto is alive and well," he said and Iruka let out a sigh of relief, "But… he has joined the Akatsuki."

"What?" he exclaimed, jumping up in surprise and staring in shock. Naruto had joined the organisation against them?

"Calm down," Kiba said as he pulled his former sensei back onto the seat, "He chose to be with them. Apparently they were the people that accepted him…"

"Of course they would accept him! He's the Kyuubi! Wouldn't they be just using him," Iruka exclaimed, now full of panic and worry over one of his favourite students and son-like figure.

Shikamaru sighed. "So troublesome… As much as that logic is understandable, they would have just extracted the Kyuubi and killed Naruto, but that they did not do. As it seems, they rather have the boy there," Shikamaru said, "For one reason or another, Naruto has, again, escaped death."

"But…" Iruka said, totally dumbfounded, "That's not right! Naruto would never…!"

Shikamaru sighed and Kiba put his hand on Iruka's shoulder to calm him down. "Calm down and listen carefully Iruka-san," Kiba said, "Think hard. Would you stay here and handle all the glares and threats put upon you since you were just born and not only that, handle the betrayal of friends? Naruto left by his own will. But I know he would not cause harm to the village unless it has been forced upon him and he has no other decision and I wouldn't even hold it against him…" Kiba said taking his hand down as Iruka calmed, "The village had put so much crap into him I would be surprised if he did forgive us."

"Well," Shikamaru said standing, "I know this information is real because I met him with my two eyes and actually had a nice civil conversation 'til someone came and interrupted it." He turned and looked at Iruka in the eye, "He is well and healthy and is actually happy with the people he's partnered up with… surprisingly."

Iruka put his head in his hands, slowly registering what Shikamaru and Kiba were saying. They were right. The village did put so much crap into him and there was only so much that boy could take. Although, he was curious, "…Who is he partnered with?" Iruka asked after a while.

Shikamaru sighed. He knew this was coming and knew that Iruka was going to have a huge reaction to this. "So troublesome," Shikamaru said as he waited for an answer, "He doesn't particularly have a partner. He works with Kisame and Ita—"

And before he finished, Iruka was up and off his seat. "WHAT!" He yelled, "Are you crazy! Itachi is homicidal and Kisame is just as dangerous! You can--"

Kiba shut his mouth with his hands and Shikamaru sighed. "Itachi and Kisame haven't hurt him as far as I can tell and he seems far too happy with them to be any harm to him."

Iruka calmed down again and mumbled to himself as Kiba let go, "God help us all…"

**..::F.Y::..**

Naruto hugged Itachi tightly, but didn't dare let tears fall this time and let go and gave Kisame a hug as well. "Well," Naruto said not looking at them, "Thank you for explaining the details, I will be looking forward for you both to come and free me from there once you are done with your mission and I, with mine."

Itachi lifted his chin to make Naruto look at him. "Look at me Naruto," He said as he met Naruto's bright blue eyes, "You're undercover and they will not know who you are unless you reveal it, but remember, you are not you while you are there, nor are you Juan. Juan beside is going to have to use his real name for this one, okay? No matter, when we come for you and your mission is done, we will leave. I know how much you hate fake smiles."

"Yeah brat," Kisame said after Itachi let go of Naruto's chin and he turned to look at him, "We can't leave you there, and unfortunately I have grown fond of you to just let go. You're like an annoying little brother."

Naruto pouted, the mood lightening up a little, "Hey! I'm _not_ annoying!"

Kisame chuckled. "Well, enjoy your mission. We will be back soon for you guys. You too Juan, we cannot forget you." They bid each other goodbye and Naruto watched the two of them leave with guarded expressions. During the three years they were together, He had not separated from them, but now, as they leave, he felt a piece of him leaving as well.

He turned away and looked at Juan with a soft smile. "Well, let's go to Konoha then. I want us to complete the mission as fast as we can."

Juan nodded and smiled as he followed Naruto to Konoha.

Three days had passed on the road to Konoha and Naruto wasn't in any particular rush to enter the dreaded village. Juan looked over to Naruto beside him and he seemed more sombre than when they set foot on the road to Konoha.

Naruto had also changed his appearance to suit the mission. He now had black messy hair, his cheeks, once again, covered in bandages and he wore brown coloured contacts, making him look like an ordinary boy, travelling with a friend. His clothes were dishevelled and dust and dirt lay in his clothes and hair from day to day travel.

Juan, himself, had auburn coloured hair and bright green eyes, like he always had, but his figure was a lot skinnier than Naruto's due to being underfed in being prisoner to Akatsuki. His clothes hung loosely on him and were in the same shape as Naruto's clothes; dusty and dishevelled. But, despite being underfed, the boy was about the same height as Naruto.

They arrived at the gates and the Leaf guards stopped them in their walk into Konoha for inspection. Both teenagers looked like innocent travellers, tired from the journey there, but they needed identification.

"State your name and where you come from and show us your pass." said one of the guards looking over them.

Naruto looked at them with a miserable expression to add to effect for the information he was about to give. "My name is Jiyori Matsuki and this is Kukiria Juan from a small village in the Earth country. We came here merely to see a few relatives and friends, but we don't have our passes due to being attacked by bandits not too far from here," Naruto explained and opened his arms to show they had absolutely nothing, "They took everything from us."

Juan nodded and the guards seemed to contemplate on this for a while. One of them sighed, "Very well, who is the person of whom you're staying with. I need to confirm this with them."

Naruto nodded, knowing one person who knew of the name of Kukiria Juan and know who was bound to be with him or _be_ him in another matter. "Nara Shikamaru," Naruto stated and Juan looked at him, but did not say a word in fear of getting found out.

"Very well, wait here and we will go get him to make sure you aren't lying." Naruto and Juan nodded and sat on the ground leaning on the wall, closing his eyes, knowing it would take a while.

**..::F.Y::..**

Iruka sighed as he met with Kiba and Shikamaru again. They had been doing that more often these days that Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke and the rest had gotten more and more suspicious by the day, but he couldn't help it. They were his only contact with Naruto; even though they didn't have contact with him… they were still his only friends.

Shikamaru sighed as a 'so troublesome' came out of his mouth as he stood slouched as people who sat not too far away spying weren't being too discreet.

"Nara Shikamaru?" a Konoha Nin said coming out of nowhere. Shikamaru eyed him, but nodded nonetheless. "There are two visitors that are apparently visiting from a village in Earth country by the names of Kukiria Juan and Jiyori Matsuki," he said to him.

Shikamaru went blank for less than a second at the names, but remembered the code name Naruto had used to get here and heard a _very_ audible gasp from a bush not too far away. "Yes, I am expecting them and have been for a while."

"They must have been delayed by bandits that stole all their items," said the guard, "Anyway, the two of them are waiting for you at the front gate. Come with me."

_Two…?_ Shikamaru thought as he followed them as he felt people not being too cautious, following him. He sighed, _how troublesome…_

"Shika-chan!" he heard an audible happy cry of his name as he approached the front gate and a smile met his lips. A different form, but the bright eyes (although different colour) and patched cheeks, it was obvious it was Naruto, but the boy beside him was skinny, and was someone he definitely didn't know.

The boy he knew as Naruto, but didn't dare say it out loud ran up to him and hugged his friend. Shikamaru smiled and patted Naruto's head, being a few inches taller, even though they were the same age.

"I'm known as Jiyori Matsuki here," he whispered into his ear, "The boy who's with me is the real Kukiria Juan that I take the identity of. I'll explain everything later."

Shikamaru nodded and pulled him into arms width distance and took a good look at him, knowing he was being spied on. And if he was being spied on, he had to act like this was a friend he hadn't seen in a long time, although that wasn't hard seeing as Naruto was a friend from childhood, just a change of name and probably personality for whatever he's here for.

"Ah, so troublesome Matsu-kun," he said, still smiling and getting into nicknames quick, "I haven't seen you in a long time," he looked over at Juan, "And Juan-kun, we've been waiting for you for a while. C'mon, I want you to meet two of my friends."

Naruto nodded and smiled as Juan came over and followed behind Konoha. Maybe this mission won't be too bad… but then again, there was the obvious spying not too far by, by certain former friends and sensei.

He was now going to do what he was here to do… his mission so he could get the hell out…

**..::F.Y::..**

_**On a mountain he sits, not of gold but of shit  
through the blood he can learn, see the life's that he took  
From a council of one  
He'll decide when he's done with the innocent**_

_**On his face is a map of the world  
(A map of the world)  
On his face is a map of the world  
(A map of the world)**_

_**From yesterday, it's coming!  
From yesterday, the fear!  
From yesterday, it calls him  
But he doesn't want to read the message  
he doesn't want to read the message  
He doesn't want to read the message here - 'From Yesterday' by 30 seconds to Mars**_

* * *

_**Anyways, help meh and help meh choose teh pairings, of course I have the storyline figured, just need a few more ideas and help with defining it and I need help with pairings coz I'm never good at putting two and two together... And ahaha ain't I evil, not telling you what the mission is buwahahahahahahha**_

_**Anyways,  
-SxT  
**_


	7. No Reason

**_School being an ass with SACs and Tests and homework. Enough Said? LOL, meaning that this is why I took so long to update, and I almost forgot about it because of that. Lucky a pm reminded about this story and I decided, lets update, eff school for the moment. Hahaha, I'm on my final year of high school, so its kind of important. Hahaha, anyways, heres chapter 7, enjoy people_**

* * *

**Chapter 7: No reason**

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**How can we fake this anymore (anymore)  
Turn our backs away, and choose to just ignore (choose to just ignore)  
(Some say) Some say it's ignorance  
It makes me feel some innocence  
(Some say) It takes away a part of me  
But I won't let go**

Neji and Kakashi looked at each other and then frowned in thought. How the hell…? Kukiria Juan was not the same person they met before. This one had auburn hair, although his eyes were green, they were a different shade of green, but he was definitely the boy from the picture…

Sakura and Ino, who were behind them looked at Shikamaru and the two strangers confused. Shikamaru had friends from the Earth country? They didn't know that… So it did seem the lazy shinobi liked to keep secrets as well…

Sasuke sighed as he was forced into this. But the name Juan irked him. Where had he heard it before? And the boy Matsuki… why did he look oddly familiar even though he was pretty sure he had never met the boy? He sighed as he watched Shikamaru lead them back to where he was before being called to the front gates and the two girls following the three were yet again pulling him.

"So why are you here?" Shikamaru asked quietly, "If you plan to destroy Konoha, you know I will be forced to fight you."

Naruto smiled and shook his head, "Don't worry. It's nothing along those lines." He said, "But I'm afraid it's confidential."

"Now, now Matsuki, you know you shouldn't be saying things like that," Juan said and then grinned, "But I'm assuming this person is one of the few friends you have here."

Naruto nodded. "Well, I can't help it. Never really like this place, but Shika-kun is the only person who I really got along with," he said to Juan, smiling slightly, "Anyway, who is it that you want me to meet? Someone I'd get along with fine, or someone I'd rather stay away from?"

Although it was said playfully, Shikamaru knew the meaning behind those words. Naruto wanted to know whether it was the people whom he could actually trust, or the people that had betrayed them. _So,_ Shikamaru thought to himself, not that surprised, _He holds very little trust with the village._

"Someone you'd get along with just fine," Shikamaru said. He was quite surprised actually; he had not used the word troublesome with the time he had actually spent with Naruto and Juan. "So troublesome," Oh well, he's using it now, "We're almost there." He said as he could see Kiba's and Iruka's face coming up. "I'm sure these troublesome people won't bother you."

Naruto nodded a small smile adorned his face as he saw Iruka, but was unsure of Kiba, but trusted Shikamaru's judgment. Iruka and Kiba looked their way as Shikamaru gave a lazy wave as he looked at the two people walking behind him. One was blatantly skinny as if he hadn't eaten in days, but was smiling like a maniac, and the other has a healthy tan, giving both Kiba and Iruka a cautious smile. Who exactly were these two?

"Iruka-san, Kiba-kun," Shikamaru said plopping down lazily on a chair that situated near them and pointed to the unknown, "So troublesome, this is Matsuki-kun and Juan-kun, old friends of mine," he looked at Naruto and Juan, "And these are the people whom you trust if I'm not around, Iruka-san, a teacher at the academy and Kiba-kun, a long time friend."

The two strangers bowed politely as they were introduced, "It's nice to meet you," Naruto, AKA Matsuki, had said to the two of them, "I'm sure we'll enjoy our stay here."

Juan smiled a bright, yet mysterious smile, "And I assure you we'd become good friends."

Kiba and Iruka blinked. Okay, they were a tad bit weird, but never mind, Rock Lee is weird as well. They wouldn't be surprised to find anyone weirder than Rock Lee, but then again… that would be just scary… _very_ scary.

Shikamaru sighed at Kiba and Iruka's blank faces, as they did not know what was going on. How troublesome. He would have to tell them later… maybe and should he tell Tsunade that Naruto was in the village…? No, he shouldn't. Right now, it was important for less people to know and as far as he got with the information from them, they weren't here to destroy the village and he could tell that Naruto wanted to get away as soon as possible. No, Tsunade might be a hindrance with the mission right now. He would have to ask Naruto if he could tell Iruka and Kiba as well, for it was better for them to know and a chance for Kiba to renew their friendship…

Silence had reigned over the group for a while, but then Naruto decided to speak, his voice restraint from frustration. "When are they going to stop spying on us? If they're ninjas, can't they at least not make it blatantly obvious?"

The hidden group blinked and realised that they indeed had put minimal effort into following Shikamaru, assuming he thought it was 'too troublesome' to check in his own village if anyone was ever following him. However, Sasuke in the group was just plainly annoyed, but stared at the two strangers in slight interest as one told Shikamaru in frustration about this little group following them.

Sasuke stood up from his place as did the others and looked at Naruto, or who they knew as Matsuki, with interest. They jumped down towards them, knowing they were caught.

"Hello there," Sakura said in a voice all too sweetly, "I'm Haruno Sakura. It seems you're a friend of Shikamaru's," she said as the two strangers looked at her, "A friend of his is a friend of ours."

A snort was heard behind the two strangers and Naruto had a feeling that it was either Shikamaru or for some odd reason, Kiba. Sakura glared at someone behind them, but then put a smile in place when her eyes landed on both boys again.

"This is Ino," She introduced pointing to the girl with long blonde hair, "This is Sasuke-kun, Neji-kun and Kakashi Sensei," she said pointing to the remaining boys as Juan remembered what Naruto had told him about these five people while he was still in the cage. "If you need anything, just ask any of us."

So these were the people that had hurt Naruto all those years ago? Juan sneaked a look at Naruto and hid a wince as he saw that Naruto had a fake smile on his face. The poor teen was hurting and there was nothing that Juan could do at the moment. "It is a pleasure meeting you," Juan said in a silky calm voice, entrancing the girls before him, "My name is Kukiria Juan and my friend beside me is Jiyori Matsuki."

"Howdy," Naruto said with trained false enthusiasm once his name was said, "I'm glad to meet some friends of Shika-chan. I hope we could become… friends too!" he hesitated a little, but hoped it was covered. Hell, he didn't want his cover blown, no matter what!

Ino noticed the hesitation with friends, but ignored it for something else. She stared at the boys trying to cover an oncoming blush. These boys looked so… _adorable!_ Wow, she hated to admit, but they both even rival in appearance of Sasuke. The way their hair moved in the wind and their eyes shined. Oh the glory! They were beautiful!

"Anyway," Kiba said, making all eyes move to him, "I'm sure they're tired from their travel and rest would be needed, so guys, we'll be leaving now." Kiba didn't know why, but he felt a… great need to push the others away, especially around these two. He held no outer grudge for them really, but he was still a bit peeved off that they had abandoned Naruto all those years ago and since these were Shikamaru's friends, he had a feeling that Shikamaru wouldn't want them talking. This was confirmed by the grateful look thrown his was by Shikamaru.

"I agree," Iruka said, smiling softly, "If you two would follow us three, we'd be going. It was nice to see you Sakura-san, Ino-san, Neji-kun, Sasuke-kun and Kakashi-san. Well jaa." And with that they left, walking away from the group.

After they reached the apartment of Shikamaru, who had decided to do a troublesome thing and rent an apartment, they sat around a table and Kiba, who had gotten acquainted with the house, decided to grab cups and juice out of the fridge, since the apartment was bare of food and all he had was juice left… Shikamaru realised he really needed to stock up… So troublesome.

"Ne, will we be able to stay here?" Naruto asked Shikamaru with hope in his eyes that he didn't have to pay to stay in a hotel. He really couldn't be bothered with wasting his money. Shikamaru sensing this question coming gave an audible sigh and nodded. Naruto gave a happy yell as Juan just sat back and watched with hidden amusement and Iruka and Kiba just wondering who in hell's name were these two.

"So, how do you both know Shikamaru," Iruka asked in a friendly gesture, "If its alright to ask, that is." He smiled at the two, especially Matsuki's antics. It reminded him, oddly, of Naruto. He was hyper and his black hair never seemed to stay in one place, moving about messily as he jumped and talked, hyper.

Naruto grinned at Iruka and Iruka blinked. That grin was far too familiar… "Oh," Naruto said, laughing, "It's a funny story actually! I was walking with friends once visiting here on some vacation my big brother decided to drag me on and got hurt on the way. Shikamaru helped me, surprisingly and we've been friends ever since! Keeping in touch every now and then!" He said giving a _very_ edited version of the mission that he finally saw Shikamaru in three years.

Iruka smiled. "I see," he looked at Kiba, who seemed to be staring at Matsuki and Juan suspiciously. He looked at Juan. "Why are you so quiet?" he asked.

Juan just smiled lazily. "Ah, you see, I could ask the same question with you. You haven't said anything when we reached this apartment either," he said, waving his hand in a 'no problem' manner, not really sure why he was doing that with his hand, "Anyways, Matsuki," he said looking at Naruto, who in turn looked back at Juan, "Calm down or you'll reveal far too much. We don't want to overload their heads right now, now do we?"

Naruto blinked, getting the message behind what he was trying to say. He grinned. "Ah, whatever Juan," he said and looked at Shikamaru, "So, what are we having for lunch?"

OoO

Naruto ate his ramen happily as they sat in Ichiraku. He looked at Iruka beside him, who offered to take him to eat ramen, while the others wanted to go eat some 'real' food such as barbeque and such.

"Ne, ne Iruka-san," he said, making Iruka look at Naruto questioningly, "What else is there to do in Konoha besides what you ninjas do. I know you are probably training and stuff like that, but what's a commoner like me meant to do. Shika-chan is far too busy with his missions and stuff, so I don't want to bother him."

Iruka thought about it and the more he thought about it the more he realised that there wasn't really much to do in Konoha. He blinked at his revelation. "Well, besides training, there's a academy for kids aspiring to become ninjas and for people who want to lead normal lives, there's a shopping district and movies, I guess." Of course there was the red light district, but he wasn't about to go there and especially not to show a new visitor.

Naruto blinked. Wow… Konoha sounded so… _boring_. Sure, he lived here before, but it was always train, train, train, mission and train. Not much hanging around unless festivities and such were around. He sighed and then grinned. He needed new clothes anyway. "Ne, then Iruka-san, would you like to go with me to do a bit of shopping?" he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I'm running low on clothes."

Iruka looked at him a bit surprised that Shikamaru's friend wanted to spend so much time with him, but then smiled. Oh well, it was a nice feeling, knowing someone really appreciated your company. He'd been kind of lonely since Naruto had 'left'. "Sure."

OoO

Kukiria Juan stared off into the Konoha streets from atop the Hokage monuments. He had a while ago ditched Kiba and Shikamaru for some time alone. Not only that, but to observe where good places of an ancient scroll would be hiding. His eyes roamed towards the Uchiha compound. He had heard from Itachi about that place, where he had slaughtered his whole clan, leaving his brother alive.

The compound… It was eerily quiet. Compared to the other places in Konoha, this place was bare of people and it seemed haunted. The presence of overwhelming gloom and depression surrounded it, frightening away people. He smirked to himself. One of the best places to his a scroll. Not only was it big, no one even dared to go near it.

And since he was a new visitor, he could curiosity as an excuse to why he was trespassing on Uchiha grounds.

He heard a crunch behind him and his head snapped back to look at the intruder. _Speak of the devil,_ he thought to himself as he saw the survivor of the Uchiha clan come out of the shadows.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Juan as if he was trying to decipher something. Juan knew he was suspicious of something. Why else would the Uchiha come here and stare at him?

"Do you need anything?" Juan asked with a soft voice.

Sasuke looked up his face before his eyes roamed around Juan's figure as if trying to decipher if Juan had a hidden agenda. Juan, now feeling quite uncomfortable, spoke again, "If you're not going to say anything, I'll… I'll just leave…" Juan stood up and went to walk passed him wen a hand caught his wrist, stopping the skinny teen.

"Your name," Sasuke had said, "I've heard it before." Sasuke turned his head towards the surprised teen, "It was the same name of the boy who joined Akatsuki and tricked us into believing he was an innocent civilian."

Juan pulled out of his grip quickly and took a step back, keeping distance between him and the enemy. "Well," he said, "In that case, what does it have to do with me?"

Suddenly Juan had his back pinned to the wall and held up by his neck. He choked, trying to loosen Sasuke's grip. "Why would a member of the Akatsuki know _your_ name and use it as they please?"

Juan tried to get a sound out, but he was losing breath very quickly. He wasn't a ninja damn it and he definitely didn't have enough strength since he'd been underfed and a prisoner for many years.

"Help…" he managed to get out and Sasuke realised what he was doing and loosened his grip, but didn't let go.

All of a sudden, Sasuke was knocked to the side and almost fell off the Hokage monuments. He looked up to see Shikamaru looking angry, _very_ angry and in the distance Kiba helping Juan, who, by now, trying to take large breaths of air.

"What were you doing to Juan," Shikamaru said in a very cold voice, that it froze Sasuke's insides. He had never heard the teen use that kind of tone before and Sasuke realised that he had just made him very mad.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, standing up with an air of arrogance surrounding him. "Juan Kukiria is exactly the same name of the boy who we helped enter the Hintatori Clan's hideout. He might be working with the Akatsuki."

Shikamaru glared as a sob caught their attention and they both turned to see Juan curled up in a ball against Kiba, as if trying to hide. A look of total innocence, that they never knew the teen was acting.

Shikamaru seethed and turned to Sasuke, a very unlike gesture since he was infamously known by his laziness and the way like he seemed like he didn't care. But, Sasuke realised, that if his precious people were to be harmed, he could be quite dangerous.

"How _dare_ you accuse Juan of being in union with the Akatsuki," Shikamaru said, a story forming quickly in his head, "His family was murdered by said organization your accusing him to be apart of. He was their prisoner for five years until he found a way to escape and I helped him. A _prisoner._ Escape from their hands of torture." Shikamaru said not knowing that he almost got the story right.

"Then why did you get along fine with the one that was part of Akatsuki," Shikamaru turned quickly to see Neji half hidden by the shadows, leaning against a tree, "You got along _fine_ with the Juan that was our enemy in our mission."

Shikamaru cursed in his head, but he didn't let it show as he held an expression of cold indifference. "That wasn't Juan," Shikamaru said, "If you had listened to our conversation you would have realised that. I was trying to figure out how he come to use his name before I remembered he used to be a prisoner of theirs."

Neji narrowed his eyes, clearly not taking the excuse. "Shikamaru, c'mon, lets just go and take Juan out of here and inform Matsuki to be careful, since they're _clearly_ not trusted." Shikamaru looked at Kiba and nodded, his lazy appearance breaking through again, but he was still tense.

"Yeah," he said giving a final glare at both Neji and Sasuke who both looked at each other, "Let's go and find Iruka. He's most likely with the energetic idiot."

OoO

Naruto sneezed as he held a few bags full of clothes for both he and Juan. He looked at the now orange sky. They needed to look tonight for the scroll and leave before they figure out who was actually there. He knew it'd take more than a day to look since they didn't know where to begin, but he wanted to leave as soon as possible before he got too attached. He had missed Iruka a lot and hanging around would make him hesitant to leave.

"C'mon Matsuki," Iruka said, "We're almost there."

"But its heavy," Naruto whined as he walked along, pretending he was quite a weak civilian than an actual ninja.

"Here," Iruka said chuckling taking some bags off of him, "Why did you buy so many anyway?"

Naruto beamed a smile. "Because it was on a big sale and I couldn't pass this opportunity since they're all good clothes."

Iruka chuckled as they, now, waited for Shikamaru to return to his apartment so they could enter. They didn't have to wait long when they came into view and Juan tackled Naruto into a hug and Kiba, Shikamaru and Iruka chuckled. Shikamaru opened the door and they all entered.

"Na- Matsuki," Shikamaru said, almost slipping up, "Be careful when you go around by yourself."

"Huh, why?" Naruto asked, hoping no one notice Shikamaru's slip up like he did. Naruto threw the bags of new clothing into the room he and Juan were staying in.

"Because Sasuke and Neji are accusing you and Juan to be part of Akatsuki," Kiba said angrily.

"_What?"_ Iruka said. He turned to Juan, "Did they hurt you?"

Juan whimpered and nodded, curling up on the couch he was sitting on. Kiba sighed. "Sasuke had him by the neck on the tree, so he couldn't breathe and accused him of being apart of the Akatsuki. Shika tackled him down before he could seriously do any damage."

Naruto stood; tense, as bangs covered his eyes as Iruka made a big fuss and Kiba trying to calm the irate teacher as Juan sat watching with hidden amusement, no longer acting scared. _Sasuke_, Naruto thought almost growling out loud, _you're still going to cause me pain through my friends, huh?_ He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at Shikamaru. He noticed the look he gave him and knew what he was asking. _Are you going to tell them the truth?_

Naruto sighed. "Not now," he whispered as no one payed attention to them, "I don't want everyone finding out so soon, not when we haven't barely gotten our mission done."

They both sat on the floor, talking to each other quietly as Iruka made an announcement that he would have to talk to the Hokage and Kiba backing up the statement, causing laughter from Juan.

"_What_ is your mission?" Shikamaru asked him, "Is it something I cannot help you with?"

Naruto sighed as he looked over the three energetic people at the moment. "You would be technically helping the Akatsuki and I doubt that's what you want Shika."

Shikamaru shook his head, "I would be helping a friend, not the enemy. I know you don't want to stay longer than you have to."

"When they discover it missing shortly after we leave, we would be suspects and you would be held for treason for hiding criminals at your place."

"Then stay when they find it so they don't think its you since you would've run away by then and if you can get in contact with Itachi or something, get him to henge and bring you and Juan out under the pretence of an angry older brother or something for 'running away from home'," Shikamaru suggested. It wasn't quite a bad idea. "Let me help you."

Naruto sighed and leaned forward hugging his knees, "Alright, I'll let you help me."

Shikamaru smiled and then looked at Naruto, "And get rid of those bandages. Since they accused of Juan of being in alliance with the Akatsuki, it isn't safe to go around like that, since the 'fake' Juan we had met upon had bandages in the exact same place."

Naruto blinked then shook his head, "No, my whiskers is a dead give away."

"Then use make-up," he said, "It's the most effective way in hiding them without being discovered. I'll help you put it on since you probably can't do it."

Naruto chuckled, "And you can?"

"Hey! What are you two planning, huh?" Kiba said coming into their sight.

Naruto grinned a very fox-like grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

**Tell me why can't you see, it's not the way (not the way)  
When we all fall down, it will be too late  
Why is there no reason we can't change (no reason)  
When we all fall down, who will take the blame  
What will it take - Sum 41  
**

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**_Hey people, and here it is, please review, it would be nice and it'll - watcha ma call it - influence me to update faster. Heh. Review and tell me whether its good or bad. lol_**

**-SxT**


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